Homologues of beta-methylcholine halide and their acyl derivatives, and processes for their production



Patented Nov. 8, 1938 g UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOMOLOGUES OF BETA-METHYLCHOLINE HALIDE AND THEIR ACYL DERIVATIVES, AND PROCESSES FOR THEIR PROD-UC- TION Randolph T. Major, Plainfield, and Howard T. Bonnett, Rahway, N. J., assignors to Merck & Co. Inc., Rahway, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey No Drawing. Application December 4, 1935, Serial No. 52,872

13 Claims. (Cl. 260-584) This invention relates to higher homologues of the necessary purification may be more readily B-methylcholine halide and their acyl derivatives, efiected. and to processes for their production. The appropriate chlorhydrins used as starting The co-pending application of one of us, Ranmaterials in each instance were prepared by the 515 dolph T. Major, in association with Joseph K. reaction of chloroacetaldehyde with the selected Cline, Serial No. 733,604, filed July 13, 1934, relates Grignard reagent. The hitherto unreported 1- to the preparation of acetyl-B-methylcholine chlorononanol-Z, was also prepared in this way. chloride. We have now succeeded in producing, During the working out of our process a numas Well, its hitherto unknown higher homologues. ber of intermediate compounds were prepared The general series of the ,B-n-alkyl choline halwhich had not previously been described; these in- 10 ides which are the subject of the present invenclude l-dimethylamino-butanol-2, l-dimethyltion have been tested pharmacologically with inamino-pentanol-Z, ldimethylamino-hexanol-Z, teresting results. It has been found that, while 1-dimethylamino-octanol-2, and l-dimethylamthe acyl derivatives of these new compounds exino-nonanol-Z.

l5 hibit generally a muscarine action similar to The following description of the more detailed that of acetyl-c-methylcholine chloride, the nonsteps of the process exemplifies specific adaptaacylated higher homologues exhibit rather unextions of the general method set forth above to the pected and important difierences in their theraultimate production of various specific acetyl-fipeutic action. Thus, for instance, while the B- alkylcholine halides, which are embraced within hexylcholine and the B-heptylcholine chlorides the scope of our invention. 20

exhibit a muscarine action, the p-proplycho- Preparation of 1-dimethyZamino-Ialkanol-2.- line and the 5-butylcholine chlorides exhibit the The appropriate chlorohydrin is heated with a typical, so-called nicotinic action which is a solution of two mols. of dimethylamine in benzene matter of considerable practical therapeutic inat 1l5-120 C. for about 15 hours, and isolated terest. from the resulting mixture by the usual meth- 25 Broadly, the process of the present invention is ods. The compounds obtained are mobile, colordirected to the production of beta alkylcholine less liquids possessing a strong amine-like odor. halides by the condensation of given chlorhydrins 1-dimethylamino-butanol-2 and 1dimethylamwith methyl amines. ino-pentanol-2 are very soluble in water, but the One preferred modification of our process for higher homologues are insoluble in water. All 30 producingthese s-alkylcholine salts consists in of the compounds are soluble in the usual orreacting upon an appropriate chlorhydrin with ganic solvents. dimethylamine and converting the resulting di- Preparation of ,o-n-allcylchOline z'odz'de.The methylamino-alkanol into its methiodide, from methiodides of the l-dimethylamino-alkanol-Z which the fl-n-alkylcholine chloride may be readcompounds are prepared by treating the latter 35 ily obtained, and which latter may then be readwith methyl iodide at room temperature. They ily acylated by appropriate means. The process are recrystallized from warm acetone to which outlined above is preferably directed to the proether is added, and occur in the form of non-hyduction of the higher of the homologues of ,3- groscopic white, n1icro-crystalline solids.

4o methylcholines which constitute the subject-mat- Preparation of ,B-n-allcylcholine chlorz'da- 40 ter of our invention, but some of the relatively The fi-n-alkylcholine iodides are Converted to lower homologues in question, as for instance, ptheir corresponding chlorides by reacting upon ethylcholine chloride, ,B-n-propylcholine chlothem with AgCl in alcoholic solution by the ride, etc. may be prepared directly by treating methods of Jones and Major (Jour. Am. Chem.

the appropriately selected chlorhydrin with tri- Soc, 52, 309-1930). The silver salts formed in 45 methylamine, thus avoiding the intermediate step the react n a re V d by filtration, a d the of forming the methiodide. n-alkylcholine chloride is precipitated by the ad- While either modification of the above dedition of anhydrous ether to the filtrate. The last scribed method may be employed, for the prepatraces of silver chloride are removed by adding the ration of all of the homologues herein contemp c p o a S t d Solution f hy g n 50 plated, it has been found more convenient, besulfide in absolute alcohol. Activated charcoal cause of the rapid increase in hygroscopicity with is added and the mixture filtered. increase in size of the alkyl group, to prepare the B-ethylcholine chloride may be recrystallized higher homologues by means of the reaction of from butyl alcohol, s-propylcholine chloride may methyl iodide on dimethyl-amino-alkanol, so that be recrystallized from a mixture of butyl alcohol 55 produce, respectively,

and isopropyl ether, and p-butylcholine chloride may be recrystallized with difiiculty from a mixture of butyl alcohol and benzene. The remaining compounds are obtained in the form of gums which crystallize on standing in a dessicator. The final products are obtained in the form of white, extremely hygroscopic solids.

Preparation of acetyl-p-n-alkylcholine chloride. Acetyl--n-alkylcholine chloride is prepared according to the method described by Major and Cline in their aforementioned co-pending application, Serial No. 733,604. In accordance with this method, a mixture of p-n-alkylcholine' chloride with an excess of acetic anhydride is heated for six hours at 100 C. Dry ether is then added to the cooled solution. The precipitate which forms is washed several times with ether and then dissolved in absolute charcoal, and then the acetylated compound reprecipitated by the addition of dry ether. The products are obtained in the form of white, crystalline hygroscopic solids.

Examples for the production of other products of this series can be readily derived by reference to the table given below, with the selection of the appropriate chlorhydrin. Thus, the selection of any given chlorhydrin shown in the first column of the table, and its treatment involving the reaction with dimethylamine by the modified steps of the process outlined in detail above, will the corresponding dimethylamino-alkanols, p-n-alkylcholine iodides, chlorides, etc., shown on the same line in the other columns of the table.

5. ,B-n-butylcholine chloride occurring in the form of a white, extremely hygroscopic, crystalline solid having a melting point of about 100.5- 102 C. r

,6. B-n-amylcholine chloride in the'form of a white, extremely hygroscopic, crystalline solid melting at about 72-74 C.

'7. The process for the production of [3-alkylcholine chlorides wherein the alkyl radicals contain from two to seven carbon atoms, inclusive,

which comprises reacting upon the corresponding chlorhydrin with dimethylamine to obtain the corresponding amino-alkanol, converting the amino-alkanol to its methiodide, and reacting upon the iodide with silver chloride to obtain the corresponding chloride.

8. The process for the production of fl-alkylcholine chlorides wherein the alkyl radicals contain from two to four carbon atoms, inclusive, which comprises condensing the selected chlorhydrin with trimethylamine to' obtain the corresponding p-alkylcholine chloride.

9. In a process of producing a member 'of the group consisting of B-alkylcholines, homologues of c-methylcholine, their salts and acyl derivatives, the steps which comprise the condensation of the corresponding homologues of chlorhydrin with methylamines. I

10. In a process of producing a member of the group consisting of ,B-alkylcholines, homologues of ,o-methylcholine, their saltsv and acyl derivatives, the step which comprises the condensation of the corresponding homologue of chlorhydrin with trimethylamine,

Q E a e l f g o m 0 o m 0 v m 0 p1 D1 U E1 0 Q, m 5 2 Y E in F 3 1 V o U ,1; O O .-i E u I H O Q g m E Z. F; s s e a e a E r1; e 1 9 e e 9 C. C. C. M. P. 162 M. P. 174 6 M. P. 144 6 M. P. 198 --200 M. P. 115 7 M. P 168- 9 M. P. 90 92 M. P. 100. 5102 M. P. 186- 7 l-chloroheptauol- M. P. 98 100 MI. P. '72 74 M. P. 182- 4 1-ch1ol0-0ctan0l-2 M; P. 109 -1 l0 M. P. 69 71 M. P. 169-71 l-chloro'nonanol-2 nC H M. P. 122. 5-123. 5 M. P. 97 99 P. 176- 7 According to the other modification of our process, as mentioned above, for the preparation of the ,B-ethyl, B-p-ropyl and. p-butyl-choline chlorides, trimethylamine is condensed with the appropriate chlorhydrin in benzene solution at 116 C. for about 24 hours. The resulting choline chlorides are precipitated by the addition of ether and recrystallized from organic solvents asindicated.

We claim as our invention:

1. p-alkylcholine chlorides wherein the alkyl radicals contain from two to seven carbon atoms, inclusive.

2. [i-alkylcholine iodides wherein the alkyl radicals contain from two to four carbon atoms.

3. c-alkylcholine iodides wherein the akyl radicals contain from six to seven carbon atoms.

4. B-n-propylcholine chloride in the form of a white, extremely hygroscopic, crystalline solid having'a melting point of about 115-7 C.

11. In a process of producing a member of the group consisting of ,B-alkylcholines, homologues of p-methylcholine, their salts and acyl derivatives, the steps which comprise the condensation of the corresponding homologues of chlorhydrin with dimethylamine and methyl iodide.

l2. c-alkylcholine halides wherein the alkyl radicals contain from two to seven carbon atoms, inclusive. 1

13. The process for the production of salts of ,B-alkylcholine wherein the alkyl. radicals contain from two to seven carbon atoms, inclusive, which comprises reacting upon the corresponding chlorhydrin with dimethylamine to obtain the corresponding amino-alkanol, converting the aminoalkanol to its methiodide, and reacting upon the iodide with a salt of silver which is more soluble than silver iodide.

RANDOLPH T. MAJOR. HOWARD T. BONNETT; 

